But what happens if you play, make and study games that aren't meant to be won or lost -- that are meant to simply be played, perhaps forever, to foster a specific experience or emotion?

At GDC 2015 Richard Lemarchand, former Naughty Dog lead game designer and associate professor in the USC Games program, hopped onstage to deliver a talk that investigates the game design potential of "open play" - play that does not necessarily result in an outcome of victory or defeat.

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